Belladonna

Chapter 1: No Hope

A girl walked alone in the still of night. It was silent, save for the girl's black boots, beating a quiet, rhythmic pattern onto the footpath. The hem of her little blue dress sat inches above her knees, and the thin spaghetti straps left her shoulders with no coverage from the freezing cold air. Her raven hair hung loose down her back, smooth as silk.

She looked about 16, a picture of innocence. A perfect sight for any predators lurking about.

The streetlights lining the footpath were either broken, or flickering so badly that they were barely any help at all.

The brightest source of light was the moon. It emitted an eerie glow, casting dark shadows onto the cracked concrete.

The girl froze momentarily when she heard the quiet footfalls behind her. She regained her composure and picked up her pace a little bit, feeling her muscles tense up.

When the footsteps sounded further away, she sneaked a quick glance behind her. A man wearing a long, black heavy coat followed rather closely behind - closer than she anticipated, surprising her. A black fedora was obscuring his face, but she could just make out the hint of a smile.

The girl walked faster, her mind screaming that there was no hope.

~ ~ ~

The man was evil. Anyone could tell at the very first glimpse. His soulless eyes were empty of emotion.

Wicked, lascivious thoughts entered his mind when he spotted the girl ahead of him. She was wearing a skimpy blue dress, and she was walking alone; no one was around to hear her screams. It was perfect.

He decided to follow her. The man pulled his hat down lower to conceal his face. A malevolent grin slowly made its way onto his features when he noticed the girl sneak a glance at him.

He could sense her fear. It satisfied him.

The man was surprised but glad when he saw the girl duck into an alleyway.

No escape now, he thought.

He turned into the alleyway, excited for what would happen next. He could already imagine her shrieks of terror bouncing off the walls as he ripped her little heart out.

He looked around. The man couldn't see her anywhere. Confusion flickered across his features just as he was slammed into a wall. Hard.

Searing pain blinded him momentarily and he felt something wet trickle from his nostrils. Blood.

He tried to push himself off the wall but the hands shoved him harder, causing his cheek to scrape against the rough bricks.

The hands were strong, obviously too strong for him. That's why he was shocked when he heard the person's voice. It was a female's.

"Why are you following me?" The voice was feminine and melodic, but with a hard edge to it.

The man was stunned. He was being overpowered by a girl. A single girl who didn't look a day over 16.

"What were you planning to do to me?"

He clamped his mouth shut, but words came out anyway. It was like her voice was able to drag the truth out from his mouth. There was a definite underlying power in her voice. It made you want to confess everything. Lay yourself bare. Share every secret, every thought.

Her grip tightened on his arms after he finished his confession. They were like vices, almost cutting off his blood flow.

"You're a despicable being," was the last thing he heard before he saw the glint of a blade. An agonizing pain pervaded his senses.

Then, darkness.

~~~

Hi!

I'm relatively new to this whole story-writing business, so I would like to know what you think.

Criticism (constructive) is welcome and appreciated. Every piece of advice/feedback will (hopefully!) bring me closer to my goal of not sucking.

Rude comments will not be tolerated.

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Thanks!

:-)